Life and Works of Rizal

I. Competencies

1. Explain the Rizal Law and its important provisions

2. Understand the context of a national hero in promoting nationalism
and patriotism
3. Critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Course

II. Notes

REPUBLIC ACT 1425 (RIZAL LAW)

• Approved, June 12, 1956 by President Ramon Magsaysay
• Authored by Claro M. Recto and Senator Jose P. Laurel, Sr.
• Enacted by the National Commission on Education on Aug.
16, 1956
• House Bill No. 556l
Senate Bill No. 438.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425

AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND
WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL, PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE
AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION
THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need
for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our
heroes lived and died;

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 Life and Works of Rizal
WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero
and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember with special fondness and devotion
their lives and works that have shaped the national character;

WHEREAS, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of
patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially during their
formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused;

WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and
subject to regulation by the State, and all schools are enjoined to develop
moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and to teach the
duties of citizenship; Now, therefore,

SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly
his novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the
curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private: Provided,
That in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be used
as basic texts.

The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to

adopt forthwith measures to implement and carry out the provisions of this
Section, including the writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers
and textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of
this Act, promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disciplinary
nature, to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall
promulgate rules and regulations providing for the exemption of students
for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written statement, from the
requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first
paragraph of this section; but not from taking the course provided for in the
first part of said paragraph. Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty
(30) days after their publication in the Official Gazette.

SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to

keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and

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 Life and Works of Rizal
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well
as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of
the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in English as
well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books
for required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities.

The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the

number of books, depending upon the enrollment of the school, college or
university.

SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of

the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose
Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them
to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed,
free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok
organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.

SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or

repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code,
prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers
and other person engaged in any public school.

SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized

to be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the
National Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 12, 1956

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956.

The Importance of the Jose Rizal Subject

THE RIZAL BILL was as controversial as Jose Rizal himself.

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 Life and Works of Rizal
The mandatory Rizal subject in the Philippines was the upshot of this
bill which later became a law in 1956. The bill involves mandating
educational institutions in the country to offer a course on the hero’s life,
works, and writings, especially the ‘Noli Me Tangere’ and ‘El Filibusterismo’.
The transition from being a bill to becoming a republic act was however
not easy as the proposal was met with intense opposition particularly from
the Catholic Church.

Largely because of the issue, the then senator Claro M. Recto—the main
proponent of the Rizal Bill—was even dubbed as a communist and an anti-
Catholic. Catholic schools threatened to stop operation if the bill was
passed, though Recto calmly countered the threat, stating that if that
happened, then the schools would be nationalized. Afterward threatened
to be punished in future elections, Recto remained undeterred.

Rizal's Life, Works, and Writings: Free Online Syllabus & Lectures

Concerning the suggestion to use instead the expurgated (edited) version

of Rizal’s novels as mandatory readings, Recto explained his firm support for
the unexpurgated version, exclaiming: “The people who would eliminate
the books of Rizal from the schools would blot out from our minds the
memory of the national hero. This is not a fight against Recto but a fight
against Rizal.” (Ocampo, 2012, p. 23)

The bill was eventually passed, but with a clause that would allow
exemptions to students who think that reading the Noli and Fili would ruin
their faith. In other words, one can apply to the Department of Education
for exemption from reading Rizal’s novels—though not from taking the Rizal
subject. The bill was enacted on June 12, 1956.

RA 1425 and other Rizal laws

The Rizal Bill became the Republic Act No. 1425, known as the ‘Rizal Law’.
The full name of the law is “An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public
and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities Courses on the Life, Works
and Writings of Jose Rizal, Particularly His Novels Noli Me Tangere and El

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 Life and Works of Rizal
Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for
Other Purposes.“

The first section of the law concerns mandating the students to read Rizal’s
novels. The last two sections involve making Rizal’s writings accessible to the
general public—they require the schools to have a sufficient number of
copies in their libraries and mandate the publication of the works in
major Philippine languages.

Jose P. Laurel, then senator who co-wrote the law, explained that since
Jose Rizal was the founder of the country’s nationalism and had significantly
contributed to the current condition of the nation, it is only right that Filipinos,
especially the youth, know about and learn to imbibe the great ideals for
which the hero died. Accordingly, the Rizal Law aims to accomplish the
following goals:

1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism,

for which our heroes lived and died

2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in
shaping the Filipino character

3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life,

works, and writings.

So far, no student has yet officially applied for exemption from reading
Rizal’s novels. Correspondingly, former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994,
through Memorandum Order No. 247, directed the Secretary of Education,
Culture and Sports and the Chairman of the Commission on Higher
Education to fully implement the RA 1425 as there had been reports that
the law had still not been totally carried out. In 1995, CHED Memorandum
No. 3 was issued enforcing strict compliance to Memorandum Order No.
247.

Not known to many, there is another republic act that concerns the
national hero. Republic Act No. 229 is an act prohibiting cockfighting, horse

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 Life and Works of Rizal
racing, and jai-alai on the thirtieth day of December of each year and to
create a committee to take charge of the proper celebration of Rizal day
in every municipality and chartered city, and for other purposes.

The Importance of Studying Rizal

The academic subject on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal was not
mandated by law for nothing. Far from being impractical, the course
interestingly offers many benefits that some contemporary academicians
declare that the subject, especially when taught properly, is more
beneficial than many subjects in various curricula.

The following are just some of the significance of the academic

subject:

1. The subject provides insights on how to deal with current problems

There is a dictum, “He who controls the past controls the future.” Our view
of history forms the manner we perceive the present, and therefore
influences the kind of solutions we provide for existing problems. Jose Rizal
course, as a history subject, is full of historical information from which one
could base his decisions in life. In various ways, the subject, for instance,
teaches that being educated is a vital ingredient for a person or country to
be really free and successful.

2. It helps us understand better ourselves as Filipinos

The past helps us understand who we are. We comprehensively define

ourselves not only in terms of where we are going, but also where we come
from. Our heredity, past behaviors, and old habits as a nation are all
significant clues and determinants to our present situation. Interestingly, the
life of a very important national historical figure like Jose Rizal contributes
much to shedding light on our collective experience and identity as Filipino.
The good grasp of the past offered by this subject would help us in dealing
wisely with the present.

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 Life and Works of Rizal
3. It teaches nationalism and patriotism

Nationalism involves the desire to attain freedom and political

independence, especially by a country under foreign power, while
patriotism denotes proud devotion and loyalty to one’s nation. Jose Rizal’s
life, works, and writings—especially his novels—essentially, if not perfectly,
radiate these traits. For one thing, the subject helps us to understand our
country better.

4. It provides various essential life lessons

We can learn much from the way Rizal faced various challenges in life. As
a controversial figure in his time, he encountered serious dilemmas and
predicaments but responded decently and high-mindedly. Through the
crucial decisions he made in his life, we can sense his priorities and
convictions which manifest how noble, selfless, and great the national hero
was. For example, his many resolutions exemplified the aphorism that in this
life there are things more important than personal feeling and happiness.

5. It helps in developing logical and critical thinking

Critical Thinking refers to discerning, evaluative, and analytical thinking. A

Philosophy major, Jose Rizal unsurprisingly demonstrated his critical thinking
skills in his argumentative essays, satires, novels, speeches, and written
debates. In deciding what to believe or do, Rizal also proved his being a
reasonably reflective thinker, never succumbing to the irrational whims and
baseless opinions of anyone. In fact, he indiscriminately evaluated and
criticized even the doctrines of the dominant religion of his time. A course
on Rizal’s life, works, and writings therefore is also a lesson in critical thinking.

6. Rizal can serve as a worthwhile model and inspiration to every Filipino

If one is looking for someone to imitate, then Rizal is a very viable choice.
The hero’s philosophies, life principles, convictions, thoughts, ideals,
aspirations, and dreams are a good influence to anyone. Throughout his
life, he valued nationalism and patriotism, respect for parents, love for

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 Life and Works of Rizal
siblings, and loyalty to friends, and maintained a sense of chivalry. As a man
of education, he highly regarded academic excellence, logical and
critical thinking, philosophical and scientific inquiry, linguistic study, and
cultural research. As a person, he manifested versatility and flexibility while
sustaining a strong sense of moral uprightness.

7. The subject is a rich source of entertaining narratives

People love fictions and are even willing to spend for books or movie tickets
just to be entertained by made-up tales. But only a few perhaps know that
Rizal’s life is full of fascinating non-fictional accounts.

For instance, it is rarely known that (1) Rizal was involved in a love triangle
with Antonio Luna as also part of the romantic equation; (2) Rizal was a
model in some of Juan Luna’s paintings; (3) Rizal’s common-law wife
Josephine Bracken was ‘remarried’ to a man from Cebu and had tutored
former President Sergio Osmeña; (4) Leonor Rivera (‘Maria Clara’), Rizal’s
‘true love’, had a son who married the sister of the former President of the
United Nations General Assembly Carlos P. Romulo; (5) the Filipina beauty
queen Gemma Cruz Araneta is a descendant of Rizal’s sister, Maria; (6) the
sportscaster Chino Trinidad is a descendant of Rizal’s ‘first love’ (Segunda
Katigbak); and (7) the original manuscripts of Rizal’s novel (Noli and Fili)
were once stolen for ransom, but Alejandro Roces had retrieved them
without paying even a single centavo.

The Course inculcate in the hearts and minds of the Filipinos the values of
freedom and nationalism, the very reason of Rizal’s death
• To honor other heroes, especially Dr. Rizal, so that their lives and
works may teach the values of nationalism, good conduct, self-discipline,
and civic mindedness to the Filipino children in their formative years RIZAL -
THE NATIONAL HERO
• To die is a fact of life. But if the person’s characteristics, his dreams
and works can stand the test of time, his life can be an example for the
generations to come. He is worthy to be honored. Even some of our heroes

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 Life and Works of Rizal
have respect for him. Rizal was highly regarded by Filipino leaders because
of his works and characteristics, his edge over the other heroes.
• Commissioner William Howard Taft, together with the members of
the Second Philippine Commission, decided to choose the national hero.
Because of the admiration for Rizal by the Filipinos and people from other
countries, the Second Philippine Commission decided that it is proper that
Rizal be the national hero.
• Criteria according to Dr. H. Otley Beyer,
o A Filipino; o Someone who is dead;
o Someone who has unconditional love for the country;
o Someone who was compassionate and peace-loving.
• Nominees
o Marcelo H. del Pilar
o Graciano Lopez-Jaena
o General Antonio Luna
o Emilo Jacinto
o Dr. Jose Rizal
• Marcelo del Pilar was the winner, according to the votes. But upon
knowing that the life and death of del Pilar was not as colorful as
Rizal’s, the decision was reversed.

THE PERFECT PLOT

His being a martyr of Bagumbayan may arouse feelings of
nationhood and love for country. This was why Rizal was chosen as the
national hero. Second, Dr. Rizal was peace-loving. He wanted reforms, but
not through bloody revolutions. We have had soldiers and warriors who
have fought with all their might, but Filipinos are generally peaceful and
peace-loving. Third, Filipinos are sentimental. If they are to read a life-story,
they want the hero to be kind-hearted, an under-dog. It is easier for them
to empathize with the hero. The death of Rizal, from Bagumbayan to Paco,
where he was laid to rest, is a perfect plot.

“THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD.” (BY SIR THOMAS BROWNE)
• “Scholars are men of peace; they bear no arms, but their tongues
are sharper than the sword; their pens carry further and give a louder report
than thunder. I had rather stand in the shock of a basilisk than in the fury of

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 Life and Works of Rizal
a merciless pen”. And finally, “Take away the sword, states can be saved
without it; bring the pen!”

LASTING EFFECT •
While the bolo of Andres Bonifacio was after all needed to shake off
the yoke of a foreign power; the revolution prepared by Bonifacio was only
the effect, the consequence of the spiritual redemption wrought by the
pen of Rizal. The previous work of Rizal seems superior to that of Bonifacio,
because although that of Bonifacio was of immediate results, that of Rizal
will have more durable and permanent effects.”

MEANING OF THE TERM HERO

• A prominent or central personage taking an admirable part in any
remarkable action or event.
• A person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude
in suffering.
• He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
• Rizal is our greatest hero because, as a towering figure in the
Propaganda Campaign, he took an admirable part in that
movement covering the period from 1882 to 1896.
• Another reason: “Because he is a man honored after death by
public worship, because of his exceptional service to mankind.”

FAITH ACCOMPLI/ HAS BEEN DECIDED •

We can say that what the Commission did was merely to confirm a
sort of faith accompli, and that was that Jose Rizal had already been
acclaimed by his countrymen and the scientific world as the foremost hero
and martyr of the land of his birth. We can say that even before his
execution, Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and foreigners as
the foremost leader of his people.

HE HAD IT IN HIM
Who made Rizal the foremost hero of the Philippines?
The answer is: no single person or groups of persons were
responsible for making Rizal the number one hero of his people. Rizal
himself, his own people, and the foreigners all together contributed
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 Life and Works of Rizal
to make him the greatest hero and martyr of his people. No amount
of adulation and canonization by both Filipinos and foreigners could
convert Rizal into a great hero if he did not possess in himself
“excellent qualities and merits.”

WHY NOT BOTH OF THEM?

• At the very least, you make both Rizal and Bonifacio national
heroes, and you avoid pitting one against the other. That’s a
preoccupation that has taken some vicious turns in the past, the
defenders of Rizal and Bonifacio not merely extolling the virtues of
one over those of the other but denigrating the contribution of one
against the others.
• The activists did that in the ‘60s and ‘70s, putting down Rizal as a
reformist (as opposed to revolutionary) intellectual who failed the
test where it most mattered, in the final choice between the
Revolution and Spain.
• Which was in turn a reaction to history textbook accounts that
ignored Bonifacio’s contribution to freeing his country from Spanish
rule.
• In those accounts, Bonifacio plays second fiddle not just to Rizal
but to Emilio Aguinaldo, the latter having presumably led the true
revolution as opposed to the mere uprising the Katipunan
represented. Well, part of that probably owed to Aguinaldo being
still alive then. But an even better part of that probably owed to
Bonifacio coming from humble origins, and therefore having no
illustrious relatives to offend with such a version of history.
• Rizal and Bonifacio deserve to stand on the same pedestal. Both
represent the best in the Filipino. Both achieved a degree of
transcendence that goes beyond the heroic to the phenomenal.

RIZAL
• It’s more obvious, of course, in the case of Rizal, whom the other
Asian countries want to claim as their own. The pride of the Malay
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 Life and Works of Rizal
race, he’s called, and deservedly so. Painter, botanist,
ophthalmologist, historian, novelist, editor, linguist, fencer,
sharpshooter, lover – he was the Malay Renaissance man through
and through.
• That Rizal has become the global figure he is, the object of
international scholarship and conferences, is a testament to his
greatness. That is no media hype, for it is often the international
community, which insists on giving Rizal his due more than we do.
• We had no great civilization to justify great pride. Until Rizal came
along.
• He was a genius where his rulers see only fools, he was a free man
where his rulers see only slaves. No wonder the Spanish authorities
wanted him dead. His very existence indicted Spanish rule, his very
existence inspired revolution.

BONIFACIO
• But no less a genius was Bonifacio, no less transcendent was
Bonifacio.
• The whole idea that an Indio could prove superior to his master,
that he could be wiser, and more capable, and more civilized, was
unthinkable enough as it was.
• Even more unthinkable was the idea that an obrero, who sold fans
and worked as a clerk for a living, could mount a campaign for
freedom against the ramparts of Spain.
• Long before the rest of Asia would discover the idea of a
proletarian revolution, Bonifacio sparked one. If Rizal had precious
little work on to show the capabilities of the race, Bonifacio had
even less to work on to show the capabilities of the masses.
• The revolutions against Spain that occurred in South America in the
1820s were mounted not by the Indians but by the creoles, not by
ordinary folk but by the elite. So, it would be too for Asian in years
to come, the wars of independence being led by the colonial elite
with the masses in tow.

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 Life and Works of Rizal
• So, it would be too in the Philippines not long afterward, the
principalias, like Aguinaldo, and ilustrados, like Pedro Paterno,
swiftly taking over the reins of the revolution.
• But for one brief shining moment, Bonifacio would be there, the
Katipunan would be there, the masses would be there. If Rizal shook
the foundations of colonial bigotry by showing that the indio
deserved to be free, Bonifacio shook the foundations of class
bigotry by showing that the masses deserved to be heard.
• Bonifacio would not be known by the world, like Rizal. But he would
be known by the obreros and peones he served with heart and
soul, the folk that make up the heart and soul of this nation. He
deserves the highest honor we can give.
• Rizal and Bonifacio both show the true genius of the race. Both
show the true worth of Filipino. So why not both of them as national
heroes?

HEROES FOR CONVENIENCE

• “And now gentlemen, you have a national hero.” In these fateful
words, addressed by then Civil Governor William H. Taft to the
Filipino members of the Civil Commission, lay the genesis of Rizal
Day. (Free Press, 28 Dec.1946)
• Taft with other American colonial officials and some conservative
Filipinos chose Rizal as a model hero over other contestants—
Aguinaldo who was too militant, Bonifacio who was too radical,
and Mabini who was too unregenerate.
• Taft quickly decided that it would be extremely useful for the
Filipinos to have a national hero of their revolution against Spain in
order to channel their feelings and focus their resentments towards
Spain. But he told his advisers that he wanted someone who really
wasn’t so much of a revolutionary that if his life was examined too
closely, it would cause us too much trouble. Rizal fit into this model.
• Rizal never advocated independence, nor did he advocate
armed resistance to the government. He urged reform from within
through propaganda public education and by appealing to
public conscience.

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 Life and Works of Rizal
• As Rizal himself once said: “I cannot do less than condemn this
uprising—as absurd and savage and plotted behind my back—
which dishonors us Filipinos and discredits those who plead our
cause.”
• It is high time we reassess the relevance of Rizal in the present, to
bring down his superstar status to a sensible level of practical and
beneficial criticism. Renato Constantino, noted historian, nationalist
and political thinker, offers this rationale of destroying the cult that
surrounds our national hero.
• Rizal is a hero of our race. But he should not be the only hero nor
the one who towers above all others. He is not the zenith of our
greatness; neither does he have the monopoly of patriotism.
• Not all his teachings have universal and timeless application. Just
as each social system gives way to higher forms. This does not mean
Rizal’s heroism is nullified; his patriotism merely assumes its correct
place in history.
• These exhortations may incite a few readers to fume, “The nerve
of that writer, how dare he detracts the Pride of the Malay Race!”
• Constantino quips that we Filipinos have the penchant of idolizing
personality for the slightest excuse. Thus, we accord an
unquestioning devotion and veneration to the martyr of
Bagumbayan.
• We also have a monument at Luneta, which proves to the world
we do have something of value amidst our impractical westernized
culture. Like the protagonist in “The Happy Prince.”
• Rizal is being used to provide an escapist outlet for our confused
nation. Result: we study his life and works in terms of dates,
acquaintances, the places where he socialized. We hold annual
exercises of empty sentiments manifest in oratorical contests and
sports events with glittering uniforms galore in his name.
• On the other hand, minor details of his life, some goofs and slips of
the tongue somehow manage to surface during political
discussions. We know he had no way of predicting the future, and
the revolutionary situation then was different from today’s protest
movement.
• One good example of this situation, Constantino notes was Rizal’s
alleged adherence to capitalism. Some Rizal books declare that
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 Life and Works of Rizal
his purchase of land in Dapitan and employment of labor only
shows that he believed in Entrepreneurial business.
• Why was Rizal beatified for the purpose of hero cult worship is a
holy question of profit policies by an imperial power.

AMERICAN MOTIVE
• Historical events have been manipulated and falsified to create a
storybook atmosphere, and rumor has it that the princes did not
live happily ever after, after all.
• Rizal was a hands down choice because he was the safe one to
deal with. He never said anything about financial imperialism of
the US, in fact, he lashed out completely at the Spaniards who
were at that time being threatened by Uncle Sam. Rizal was not
a seditious rebel, as far as the US economic policies were
concerned. So, it was so easy to use Rizal in order to convince the
Katipunan that commodore Dewey took the Philippines away
from Spain in all intentions to make the indios free. At the same
time, America was bent on recruiting illustrados like Aguinaldo
and on eliminating proletariat separatists like Bonifacio and Luna
from the Revolution.
• For a measly fee of P300,000 Aguinaldo influenced the Katipuneros
to stop the insurrections against the US troops of they would be
treated as such. Here we see how ambitious people use the
grievances of the masses yearning to be free in order to further
their self-enrichment. Yet today he still has a high status of being
one of the heroes of the Katipunan.

UNMASKING THE FAKES

• Aristotle cannot be blamed if his concept of a geocentric universe
caused the incarceration of Galileo hundreds of years later.
Similarly, we only have ourselves to blame if we have been too
accommodating to the whims of foreign domination.
• Rizal became our national hero only because of American
intervention. Many of our heroes reached their stature only
because of American intervention.
• We should get rid of the belief that there is nobody in this
archipelago that can equal Rizal. There are other heroes of the
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 Life and Works of Rizal
past and present whose anti-colonialist experiences deserve merit
and careful study. In the end, history will show that the people are
the heroes of national liberation, not just a few learned upstarts
whose interest do not speak of nationalism, but of pro-Western
individualism.

III. Exercises/Written Activities:

A1. Identification: Write your answer on the space provided before the
number.
Hero 1. A person of distinguished valor or enterprise in
danger, or fortitude in suffering.
being a martyr of 2. The perfect plot why Rizal was chosen as a
Bagumbayan national hero.
Emilio Aguinaldo 3. He influenced the Katipuneros to stop the
insurrections against the US troops of they
would be treated as such for 300,000 Pesos.
The Revolution of 4. It was only the effect, the consequence of the
Bonifacio spiritual redemption wrought by the pen of
Rizal.
Nationalism 5. It involves the desire to attain freedom and
political independence, especially by a
country under foreign power.
Jose P. Laurel 6. Former senator who co-wrote the law,
explained that since Jose Rizal was the
founder of the country’s nationalism and had
significantly contributed to the current
condition of the nation, it is only right that
Filipinos, especially the youth, know about and
learn to imbibe the great ideals for which the
hero died.
Thomas Browne 7. He said “Scholars are men of peace; they bear
no arms, but their tongues are sharper than the
sword; their pens carry further and give a
louder report than thunder. I had rather stand
in the shock of a basilisk than in the fury of a
merciless pen”.
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 Life and Works of Rizal
Marcelo H. del Pilar 8. This hero was the winner, according to the
votes for who will be our National hero. But
upon knowing his life and death was not as
colorful as Rizal’s, the decision was reversed.
Andres Bonifacio 9. He would not be known by the world, like Rizal.
But he would be known by the obreros and
peones he served with heart and soul, the folk
that make up the heart and soul of this nation.
He deserves the highest honor we can give.
Patriotism 10. It denotes proud devotion and loyalty to one’s
nation.
Republic Act No. 229 11. It is an act prohibiting cockfighting, horse
racing, and jai-alai on the thirtieth day of
December of each year and to create a
committee to take charge of the proper
celebration of Rizal day in every municipality
and chartered city, and for other purposes.
Claro M. Recto 12. The main proponent of the Rizal Bill—was even
dubbed as a communist and an anti-Catholic.
President Fidel V. Ramos 13. Through Memorandum Order No. 247, he
directed the Secretary of Education, Culture
and Sports and the Chairman of the
Commission on Higher Education to fully
implement the RA 1425 as there had been
reports that the law had still not been totally
carried out.
Life’s Works and 14. These are a constant and inspiring source of
writings of Jose Rizal patriotism with which the minds of the youth,
especially during their formative and decisive
years in school, should be suffused.
RA 1425 15. An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public
and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Courses on the Life, Works and Writings of Jose
Rizal, Particularly His Novels Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing
and Distribution Thereof, and for Other
Purposes.“

A2. Explain.
1. Why Dr. Jose Rizal is our foremost National Hero?
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 Life and Works of Rizal

2. What is the essence of RA 1425?

3. Why it is very important to study the life of Dr. Jose Rizal?

IV. Performance Tasks: Make a 1 min. video log that shows admiration to Jose
Rizal as the best Hero in the Philippine History.
• Post your vlog in Microsoft 365 teams.
• Criteria:
Creativity - 10%
This is the overall concept and story line.
Participants must be able to show the
service performed to them and feature the interiors of
the store.
Content 30%
This is the overall script. The participant should be
able to describe their experience while trying out
Hey Sugar’s services.
Editing 10%
This is how the video is edited. Sequencing,
background music, sound effects, and cut-to-cut
editing style. _________________
TOTAL: 100%

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 Life and Works of Rizal

Answer Key
A1.
Hero 1.
being a martyr of Bagumbayan 2.
Emilio Aguinaldo 3.
The Revolution of Bonifacio 4.
Nationalism 5.
Jose P. Laurel 6.
Thomas Browne 7.
Marcelo H. del Pilar 8.
Andres Bonifacio 9.
Patriotism 10.
Republic Act No. 229 11.
Claro M. Recto 12.
President Fidel V. Ramos 13.
Life’s Works and writings of Jose Rizal 14.
RA 1425 15.

A2. Answers will Vary

References:

Zaide, G.F., Jose Rizal Life, Works and Writings, Revised Millennium
Edition, 2003
Pasiqui, R.E., Jose Rizal: the man and the hero, C and E Publishing, Inc,
Quezon City, 2014

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/
https://ourhappyschool.com/history/importance-jose-rizal-subject
http://enwikipedia.org

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____________________ ________________________

Date Accomplished Pre-service Teacher’s

Signature over Printed Name

________________________

Date Received

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through him”.
John 3:17

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